A medical worker is conducting COVID-19 testing. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese government’s COVID-19 management systemskicked back into full swing as the number of domestically-transmitted infectionhas risen quickly these days, according to an article posted on Australia’sdevpolicy.org website on May 19.
Vietnam, with a population of 96 million people, has seen 4,378 COVID-19 casesand 37 deaths, it said, describing this achievement remarkable indeed.
Regarding the proportional impact – the number of deaths per one millionpopulation, Vietnam currently has 0.4 as compared to 5 in Singapore, 9 inThailand, 35 in Australia, and 59 in Malaysia, the article quoted Worldometres’statistics.
On number of cases per one million people, Vietnam is at only 44, while thefigures in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia are 10,460, 1,623 and 14,500,respectively, it said, adding the difference is staggering.
In the past 18 months with three outbreak waves, the Vietnamese Government hashoned a highly proactive approach to managing the spread of the virus in thecommunity, with priority given to addressing degrees of contact, and not simplythe manifestation of the illness symptoms.
A wide range of social distancing and movement restrictions were progressivelyput in place over the past week since the number of COVID-19 infections hasrisen in this fourth occasion.
They began with closure of schools, then karaoke bars, massage parlours andgyms, with restaurants next required to shift to take-away only and publicparks and meeting places closed. People are fined for not wearing face masks inpublic, and asked to stay at home. Meanwhile, most shops and businesses stayopen.
Strict punishment is handed out to anyone who does not wear face mask in public places. (Photo: VNA) The article affirmed that the calm and the orderliness of the system engendersconfidence of the nation.
Looking to neighbouring countries in the region and further afield, it seemsthe Vietnamese public has acknowledged that this approach works, and they geton board quickly.
When there was an outbreak of community spread around the traditional Lunar NewYear, the Government was successful to get on top of it within a month, withminimal closures and movement restrictions. All social activities operatedagain in March.
The article also stated that like everywhere across Asia, Vietnam will sufferlong-term impacts of the resulting economic slowdown. However, the Vietnameseeconomy is expected to recover the fastest in Southeast Asia, and theGovernment’s ability to keep the virus at bay is the key factor in thissuccess./.
VNA
